Are corner steadies safe in an electrical storm

laneside

laneside

Deceased RIP
Joined
Aug 14, 2009
Posts
2,668
Likes collected
6,278
Location
Oradour sur Vayres
Funster No
7,981
MH
Rapido V66
Exp
nowhere near long enough
Just reading another post on corner steadies and it reminded me of something I have thought about on odd occasions. It is well know that a car stood on tyres is a very safe place due to the Faraday cage effect, now if you put two metal jacks down onto the ground is this negated and the van more at risk.
 
Perfectly safe. As with all storms though don't get in or out of your van during the storm...:xsurprised:
:xeek:
 
The Faraday principal does not rely on your rubber tyres Alan but on the fact that you are encased in a steel box, which in the case of a MH it is not a steel box so I cannot see the same principal applies.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
laneside said:
Just reading another post on corner steadies and it reminded me of something I have thought about on odd occasions. It is well know that a car stood on tyres is a very safe place due to the Faraday cage effect, now if you put two metal jacks down onto the ground is this negated and the van more at risk.
Click to expand...


Never thought about it,should have though, I'm going to follow this thread with interest. Thanks for posting L.:xThumb:
 
laneside said:
Just reading another post on corner steadies and it reminded me of something I have thought about on odd occasions. It is well know that a car stood on tyres is a very safe place due to the Faraday cage effect, now if you put two metal jacks down onto the ground is this negated and the van more at risk.
Click to expand...
Mine have thick mahogany insulators :p
 
What about if you put them on wooden blocks or plastic feet?

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Why do you think they put lightning conductors on tall buildings?
Creating a path to earth for the voltage should reduce the damage to the structure in the event
 
Jaws said:
Paul, the lightning has probably just jumped several thousand feet.. I doubt a couple of inches of anything would be a whole lot of help ! :xwink:
Click to expand...
Just a thought John, mind you I don't know why I bothered we don't use ours at all. :xrofl:
 
trophychap said:
We always park next to someone with a sat dish they are always higher than us so any strike should get them first LOL.
Click to expand...
Lightening doesn't always hit the highest point or the sharpest point. I saw a video recently regarding this but can't remember where...

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
HymeritesWe2 said:
I don't know but at least we'd be stable :xwink:
Click to expand...

If you mean mentally you are possibly on the wrong forum.. No other bugger on here is even approaching stable !! :xrofl::xlaugh::xThumb:

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Last edited:
Well that's another theory out the window then! thanks Gromett (not) I will just have to rely on the old faraday principal.

Just as an aside we were in a few very heavy thunderstorms in the south of France this year they were shaking the van a bit!
 
I spose you could always rip out the insides of your van install a complete covering of wire mesh and then reinstall everything ..

That would certainly work as a Faraday cage !
 
I have also thought about this, what about the ehu cable.
When at home I always pulled the plug out of the back of the TV when an electrical storm happened.
I've heard about lightening hitting the aerial and setting the house on fire.
Also when the satellite dish is on a tripod outside, do we need to disconnect the satellite cable while the storm is happening?
I've always said we're not in a Faraday cage, we're in a wooden one.
 
Just a personal thing, but years ago I gave up disconnecting thins
From 1970(ish ) to 1980(ish) I ran a television aerial installation company..
In those 10 years we had one call out to a place that had taken a strike..
While it did the tv no favours, it was the chimney that took the brunt, blowing it in small pieces across three gardens !

As an unrelated factoid, apparently you are 8 times more likely to be struck by a meteorite and 3 times more likely to be struck by lightning than having a BIG win on the lottery..

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Driving a MH in lightning is the same as a Reliant Robin, Sod all protection, it would go through it.
I have been hit in my car on the M2, , big flash, huge noise, no damage to see, everything still worked even the ECU, just as well I was going to fly out of Gatwick a couple of hours later. The bloke following got a bigger shock than I did. He could see well for a few minutes.
 
I always wondered about this with our narrowboat, in effect a steel box in water. Have never been able to find a case in over 25 years of a boat being hit, however, I do remember hearing of a guy with a brolly mounted to the roof. The brolly took a hit, as did the paintwork of the boat, but all occupants and electronics were fine. Possibly the Faraday Cage principle.
 

Join us or log in to post a reply.

To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun

Join MotorhomeFun

Join us, it quick and easy!

Join us

Log in

Already a member? Log in here.

Latest journal entries

Back
Top